Systems and methods for detecting vulnerable plaque

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient. A first aspect of the invention includes a substance that is administered to the patient and a device that detects the substance. The substance has affinity for/binds to at least one of a lipid, a clotting factor, or an apoptotic factor associated with the vulnerable plaque. A second aspect includes a particle that is administered to the patient, an emitter that emits infra-red or near infra-red radiation on the particle, and a detector that detects light fluorescence from the particle. A third aspect includes a substance that is administered to the patient. The substance has affinity for/binds to the vulnerable plaque and includes a substance radiopaque characteristic that activates upon association/binding of substance with the vulnerable plaque. A device that detects the substance radiopaque characteristic is also provided.

1 . A system for detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient, the system comprising: 
 a substance that is administered to the patient, the substance having affinity for at least one of a lipid, a clotting factor, or an apoptotic factor associated with the vulnerable plaque; and    a device that detects the substance.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the substance comprises a label selected from a group consisting of a radioactive label, a fluorescent label, a radiopaque label, a paramagnetic label, a detectable heavy element, or a detectable rare earth ion.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the label is activated upon association of the substance with the vulnerable plaque.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the lipid comprises a molecule including at least one non-polar moiety.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the lipid comprises a molecule selected from a group consisting of apolipoproteins, saturated lipids, (poly-)unsaturated lipids, triglycerides, trans-fatty acids, and cholesterol.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the clotting factor comprises a molecule selected from a group consisting of a platelet associated molecule, fibrin, fibrinogen, prothrombin, thrombin, plasmin, plasminogen, serotonin, thromboxane A2, a kallikrein, thromboplastin, calcium ion, proaccelerin, proconvertin, antihemophilic factor, plasma thromboplastin component, Stuart-Prower factor, plasma thromboplastin antecedent, Hageman factor, and fibrin stabilizing factor.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the apoptotic factor comprises a molecule selected from a group consisting of cytokines, growth factors, caspases, serine-threonine protein kinases, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, protein kinase B, cytochrome c, NF- κ B, forkhead, Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated death promoter (BAD), Bcl-x L , annexins, Fas ligands, and tumor necrosis factor.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the device comprises an endovascular device.  
     
     
         9 . A system for detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient, the system comprising: 
 a particle that is administered to the patient;    an emitter that emits infra-red or near infra-red radiation on the particle; and    a detector that detects light fluorescence from the particle.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the particle comprises a micro-particle of about 0.5 to 10.0 micrometers in diameter.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the particle comprises a nano-particle of about 10 to 200 nanometers in diameter.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the particle is sized to provide a unique light fluorescence wavelength.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the particle comprises a surface molecule with affinity for the vulnerable plaque.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the surface molecule comprises a C-reactive protein binding molecule.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the emitter and detector comprise an optical coherence tomography device.  
     
     
         16 . A system for detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient, the system comprising: 
 a substance that is administered to the patient, the substance having affinity for the vulnerable plaque and including a substance radiopaque characteristic that activates upon association of substance with the vulnerable plaque; and    a device that detects the substance radiopaque characteristic.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the substance radiopaque characteristic is activated at a predetermined temperature.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the substance radiopaque characteristic is activated at a predetermined pH.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the device comprises an endovascular device.  
     
     
         20 . A method of detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient, the method comprising: 
 administering a substance to the patient;    binding the substance to at least one of a lipid, a platelet, or an apoptotic factor associated with the vulnerable plaque; and    detecting the bound substance.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the substance comprises a label selected from a group consisting of a radioactive label, a fluorescent label, a radiopaque label, a paramagnetic label, a detectable heavy element, or a detectable rare earth ion.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the label is activated upon the binding of the substance.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the lipid comprises a molecule including at least one non-polar moiety.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the lipid comprises a molecule selected from a group consisting of an apolipoprotein, a saturated lipid, a (poly-)unsaturated lipid, a triglyceride, a trans-fatty acid, and cholesterol.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the clotting factor comprises a molecule selected from a group consisting of a platelet associated molecule, fibrin, fibrinogen, prothrombin, thrombin, plasmin, plasminogen, serotonin, thromboxane A2, a kallikrein, thromboplastin, calcium ion, proaccelerin, proconvertin, antihemophilic factor, plasma thromboplastin component, Stuart-Prower factor, plasma thromboplastin antecedent, Hageman factor, and fibrin stabilizing factor.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the apoptotic factor comprises a molecule selected from a group consisting of a cytokine, a growth factor, a caspase, a serine-threonine protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, protein kinase B, cytochrome c, NF- κ B, forkhead, Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated death promoter (BAD), Bcl-x L , an annexin, Fas ligand, and tumor necrosis factor.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the device comprises an endovascular device.  
     
     
         28 . A method of detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient, the method comprising: 
 administering a particle to the patient;    emitting infra-red or near infra-red radiation on the particle; and    detecting light fluorescence from the particle.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the particle comprises a micro-particle of about 0.5 to 10.0 micrometers in diameter.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the particle comprises a nano-particle of about 10 to 200 nanometers in diameter.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the particle is sized to provide a unique light fluorescence wavelength.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the particle comprises a surface molecule with affinity for the vulnerable plaque.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the surface molecule comprises a C-reactive protein binding molecule.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the emitter and detector comprise an optical coherence tomography device.  
     
     
         35 . A method of detecting a vulnerable plaque associated with a blood vessel of a patient, the system comprising: 
 administering a substance to the patient;    binding the substance to the vulnerable plaque;    activating a substance radiopaque characteristic upon the binding; and    detecting the activated substance radiopaque characteristic.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the substance radiopaque characteristic is activated at a predetermined temperature.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the substance radiopaque characteristic is activated at a predetermined pH.